Boland College bids farewell to a dedicated educator who has served in the teaching profession for more than 42 years.
Iwan Hartman started his teaching career in 1980 at Breërivier Secondary School, after which he went to the Roman Catholic Primary School in 1981 and then to Ceres Secondary in 1982.
In 1983 he returned to Breërivier Secondary, where he stayed until he was appointed as a lecturer at the then Söhnge College of Education in 1987.
There Hartman worked his way to acting vice-rector, and one of two executive directors, alongside Christo Cordier, when Söhnge College and Worcester Technical College merged in 1999 to form Worcester Community College.
Worcester Community College then became part of Boland College in 2000.
In 2003, Hartman was appointed as campus head at the Paarl campus, where he managed it as the “pride of Boland College” for the last 19 years.
Growing up in Worcester and attending Riverview Primary School, Hartman always envied teachers. This is what laid the teaching foundation that his parents had envisioned for him.
Many years later he has built a staff corps – from cleaners to senior staff – who all care sincerely about students and external clients. It is easy to understand why the slogan at the Paarl campus is “We Care”.
This was also reflected in the many community projects that have been held over the years.
Each day of the 19 years he spent in Paarl, he was motivated to promote a culture of learning through hard work and focus. Staff members were, however, not only colleagues but also friends, and the workplace was a pleasant environment to work in.
Another major part of his legacy is that academic achievements at the Paarl campus rose to new heights.
When asked what his weaknesses are, he says, “I expect all staff to give their best and get very upset if they do not meet expectations. I am impatient and even difficult when deadlines and academic goals are not met.”
After being in the education sector for 42 years and five months, to be exact, Hartman is looking forward to resting and to spending more time with his family and grandchildren. He will also be doing some domestic and overseas travelling.
He will still keep his options open for involvement in community projects as long as he still has good health.
Colleagues at the Paarl campus say they already miss Hartman’s presence and they wish him all the best with his new life chapter and journey.
